Andrei Sannikov: Kremlin's Hopes That Trump Will Be Its Ally Will Fail

Trump could go against the canons during the campaign, but now he must return back to the US power system.

The leader of the civil campaign “European Belarus,” the presidential candidate in the 2010 elections Andrei Sannikov stated this in an interview with charter97.org.

– How would you comment on Donald Trump's victory at the US presidential elections, which is sensational and unexpected for many people?

– Maybe it has become unexpected for many people, but it should have been foreseen. The victory of Donald Trump was logical from the perspective of the entire course of the US presidential campaign. It was even predictable, and only some unexpected event could prevent Trump from becoming the president.

However, first of all I would like to congratulate the big friend of Belarus John McCain on his re-election to the United States Senate as a representative of the State of Arizona . As well as to congratulate the Americans on the election of the President. We can only envy watching how it happens in democratic countries, especially in the USA.

As for the elected president Donald Trump, we can say for sure: he, being a candidate from the Republican Party, was against the system during the election campaign. We remember what contradictions it caused within the party. But now he is turning back to the system which exists in the USA. First of all – to the system of strong powers, not only executive but also legislative and judicial. And Donald Trump will have to operate within this system.

Of course, a lot depends on the personality of the president of the United States, but the democratic and state institutions are very strong there and no president dares to go against them all. It is possible during the election campaign, but once you become the president, the situation changes.

Here we can recall Ronald Reagan, whom the Republicans didn't accept as well. At the time of his first appearance in the US Congress someone even dropped a phrase: “ You're in the higher league now, lad.”

Trump will have to learn the same thing. Now there should be made neither too optimistic nor, on the contrary, too alarmist conclusions. We should monitor the what will happen in reality.

– Do you believe that Donald Trump, as a Republican president, will be forced to return to the strong and consistent US policy towards Russia and Eastern Europe?

– I did not say that. There are some concerns (and they were heard in the US press) about the members of Trump's team dealing with Russia and the Kremlin’s hopes to find an ally in the new president. I just want to say straight off that Russia’s hopes are not destined to be realized.

However, there is a risk of some dealings between US and Russia. That’s where the greatest danger is. All the rest, what concerns the US foreign policy, I am sure, will go down to its normal course.

I do not expect any particular changes in the US policy towards Belarus. But I think that Europe will have to find answers to the many challenges on its own. Because Trump’s line, which assumes not to support expensive projects abroad at the expense of American interests, will force Europe to think about the leadership in our region.

You can also recall Trump’s campaign slogan “Make America Great Again.” He will not achieve this aim with some unpredictable actions. And Trump pays great attention to the public opinion.

– Is the White House policy concerning the issue of supporting democracy in Belarus going to change?

– I can say one thing: the United States will certainly recognize the new Belarusian president, elected at democratic and transparent elections.

It's idle to expect that we will attract some special attention. Trump takes office during the worst global political crisis, the crisis of the Western world. The very fact of Trump’s election, as the decision of Britain to withdraw from the EU before, shows the depth of the crisis and what conclusions we have to draw now.

I think it’s not only Trump’s task to draw such conclusions. This is the task of the democratic world in whole.

With regard to the foreign policy, I shall be honest with you: I do not see President Barack Obama’s great success, and I see a lot of failures of his administration, including those in the issues of supporting democracy in the world.

Therefore, the Republicans, I think, will be able to meet this issue more consistently.